Forbidden Love
by Ms Musician
Summary: The son of Ned and Nancy Nickerson and the daughter of Frank and Callie Hardy meet and eventually fall in love, unaware of the tension between their parents.
1. Chapter 1

This story was written for nancy drew yuletide 2009. Prompt was by Katie M. Hope you all enjoy!

Lyrics are from the song "Hero"

* * *

Callie Shaw walked into her home to complete chaos. The living room was cluttered with games as her daughter, Faith, and four of her friends—Samantha, Lizzy, Madeline, and Victoria— gathered around in a circle, playing a game of Uno. Their laughter echoed through the house.

Downstairs, her son, Bryan, and three of his friends sat in a semicircle in front of the television, playing a nameless video game—two of them racing against each other while the others yelled excitedly at them, cheering them on.

She sighed as she walked into the kitchen, shaking her head at the mess left behind by the boys' raid of the refrigerator—messy pans with leftover inedible food left from an experiment gone wrong, along with dirty plates and cups. She was in the middle of scrubbing one of the pans when the front door opened. She turned and found her husband standing in the doorway.

"Hey," she said. He walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. She kissed him. "How was work?" she asked.

"Same as always," he said. "Frustrating." He glanced around the kitchen. "So I see they've managed to destroy the kitchen. How's the 'party' going?"

She smiled. "It's fine. Kind of chaotic, but that's okay—as long as they're having fun."

"What time is the game tonight?"

"Seven. They're all leaving at six-thirty so they can eat something before going to the game."

"Then we'll have a couple hours to ourselves."

At six, the boys came upstairs and disappeared into Bryan's room. Twenty minutes later, they emerged with their faces painted half-red and half-white—their school colors. On their chests, they each had two letters painted on them—when the four of them stood together, they spelt "ROSEWOOD". When Frank and Callie saw them, they both rolled their eyes, but otherwise did not bother commenting; it would be useless.

At six thirty sharp, the two groups combined as they all prepared to leave. Jackets and shoes were put on, followed by quick good-byes and promises of not staying out too late.

"Bye, Mom, bye Dad," Faith said, giving them both a quick hug.

"Bye, honey. Have fun."

"We will. Love you."

"Love you, too. See you later."

--

It was the Turner University versus Rosewood University. The two teams were undefeatable—but that would change today. Turner's quarterback, Travis Nickerson, was supposedly as good as they get. Nevertheless, Rosewood's defense was unquestionably the best there was in the state of Illinois. It should be a good game.

Faith and her friends separated from her brother and his friends as they went to find their seats. They were right on the fifty-yard line, fifth row up. The girls settled down, each with a drink and a large popcorn bowl to share between the five of them.

Turner got first possession. The two teams lined up on the field. Rosewood's kicker, Steven Lewis, started the game off well with a bravura kick. Travis Nickerson caught the ball and amazingly ran it all the way for the first touchdown.

"You know, I hate to admit it, but their quarterback really _is_ good," Samantha said.

"Yeah, I know," Faith replied. "A little _too_ good. They're about to make another touchdown."

Victoria leaned forward a little in her chair. "You know, he's not bad looking, either," she commented.

Madeline elbowed Victoria jokingly. "Is that all you can think about right now? Boys and how cute the other team's quarterback is?"

"Apparently," Faith said, rolling her eyes. She turned her attention back to the field.

The girls yelled and cheered so much that by the time the game was over, they were hoarse. The final score was 45—38 in overtime.

"We won!" Lizzy exclaimed.

The girls cheered with the rest of the Rosewood crowd as the Turner spectators left, heads hung low.

"Yeah, that's right—go home. 'Cause we just beat you," Victoria shouted at them.

"Victoria!" The other three girls hissed.

"What?"

"Come on," Faith said. "Let's go before you get in a fight with someone."

--

The ride home was rough. It was dark, and Faith always had trouble driving in the dark. Fortunately, the college was not very far from her house. However, that did not protect them from the other drivers on the road.

"So, did everyone have fun at the game?" Madeline asked.

"Definitely!" Lizzy replied. "I'm so glad your brother hooked us up with tickets to that game, Faith."

"Where _is_ your brother, anyway? I mean, why aren't they riding home with us?" Madeline asked.

"I don't know. They said something about crashing a party."

"And why didn't we go with them?" Samantha asked.

"Because Mom will kill us if we're home later than midnight. It's already eleven thirty."

"Aw, loosen up. Have faith, Faith."

Faith winced. She hated it when her friends said that.

"We can just stay a few minutes. Just to see what the big deal is about this party."

"I don't know…"

"It'll be fun. Trust me."

--

The party was held on campus at Turner University. It was huge, with hundreds of people all gathered in one building. There was pool a game of pool going in one part of the building and a game of poker in another part; in yet another area of the building, a crowd of teenage guys stood around a table where two young men sat, arm wrestling. And finally, there was the dance floor.

"This party looks like so much fun!" Victoria exclaimed. "Can we stay? Please, Faith, can we, can we, can we?"

"The correct word is may, and the answer is no. We've got to find my brother and go."

Suddenly, she was pushed to the ground as a young man was shoved into her accidentally. She turned around, her eyes blazing. But her expression changed as she found herself looking into a pair of soft, blue eyes.

The young man was tall and very muscular. He had short dark hair and matching dark eyes. His expression was that of concern.

"Are you all right?" the boy asked. "I'm really sorry. My friends are being total idiots."

Faith nodded, unable to do anything else. He offered his hand to her to help her up, and she took it.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Faith. Yours?"

"Travis."

Faith's eyes shot up. "Travis? Travis Nickerson?" The young man nodded. "Nice to meet you. Good game today," she commented.

He grinned. "Yeah, too bad we didn't have a better outcome. But congrats on your win."

"Thanks," she replied.

Travis glanced out toward the dance floor. "Do you want to dance?" he asked.

She laughed almost nervously. "I don't dance," she replied. "But thanks for the offer." She glanced at her watch. "I need to be going, anyway." She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm.

"Just one dance," he said, then gave her a slow smile. "Cut a guy some slack. Please."

She sighed, and then gave him a bright smile. "Okay. One dance."

The DJ was a volunteer college student with crazy styled blue hair, countless tattoos, and so many piercings that Faith wondered how he was able to keep any type of food or liquid inside him long enough to digest. And at that moment, she hated him for putting a slow song on.

_Would you dance, if I asked you to dance? _

_Would you run, and never look back? _

_Would you cry, if you saw me crying? _

_And would you save my soul tonight? _

Travis held his hand out, and she accepted it as he rested one hand around her waist and held her hand with the other.

"Don't you think this is a little fast for barely knowing each other?" Faith asked. But she didn't pull away; she put her free hand on his shoulder as they swayed to the music.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No."

_Would you tremble, if I touched your lips? _

_Would you laugh? Oh, please tell me this._

_Now would you die, for the one you love? _

_Hold me in your arms, tonight._

_I shouldn't be here,_ Faith thought. _Mom and Dad are going to be so ticked off._

_I can be your hero, baby_

_I can kiss away the pain_

_I will stand by you forever_

_You can take my breath away._

_Victoria was right. He _is_ pretty cute. _

The song was coming to an end. Suddenly, Travis leaned in closer to her.

_He's going to kiss me. He's going to kiss me!_ A mixture of excitement and slight panic overwhelmed her. But suddenly, the moment was broken when someone yelled, "Faith!"

Faith rolled her eyes as her brother ran up to them. She took one look at him and knew he was drunk.

"Faith, I can't believe you're here. Don't we have to be home soon?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, we should have been home half an hour ago, but we came to rescue your drunken butt home. Great timing, by the way," she added sarcastically.

"Thanks. I thought so, too."

She sighed. "Come on. Let's go home." She turned to Travis. "I'm really sorry," she said.

"No, no, it's fine. Um, here." He quickly scribbled something on a small piece of paper, then handed it to her. "Give me a call sometime," he said.

She smiled. "Sure. Um, talk to you later, then."

"Bye."

--

A little while later, everyone was literally piled in Faith's car as she soon became the designated driver for Bryan and his friends. Then when she added _her_ friends…it was a mess.

"How are we going to explain to Mom and Dad why you guys are coming home drunk?" Faith asked. "You know she hates anything having to do with alcohol."

"I'm of age. Doesn't matter," Bryan muttered. Faith just rolled her eyes.

--

Their parents were waiting for them when they got home.

"Where have you been?"

"Do you know what time it is?"

"We were worried sick."

"Mom, Dad, _calm down. _We're _fine."_

"Why were you out so late? It's almost two o'clock," Frank stated.

"You know, technically we don't have to follow a curfew anymore; I'm 24 and Bryan is 22."

"But you're living under our house, so you're still following our rules."

"Frank, calm down," Callie said evenly.

"Who were you with?" Frank asked.

"Someone you wouldn't know."

"Who were you with?" Frank repeated.

"Dad—"

"Just answer your father, Faith," Callie said with a sigh.

"Travis Nickerson."

The expression on Frank's face changed completely. If he looked angry before—well, now he looked furious.

"You're not to have anything to do with the Nickersons."

"Why not?"

"Honey, why don't you just go to bed?" Callie said. "Just—just call us next time you're going to be late." She squeezed her husband's hand gently. He reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Good night," Faith mumbled, and then she went upstairs to her room, slamming the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't believe your parents won't let you see him," Madeline said.

"I know. Totally ridiculous."

"You should never come between a young couple in love," Victoria said.

Faith rolled her eyes.

"But come on. What could your parents possibly have against Travis? They've never even met him!"

"I guess it's something between his parents and mine," Faith replied. "They wouldn't tell me what, though."

Victoria stood up. "Well, we should find out, then," she said.

"Victoria…no," Samantha protested. "If they wanted Faith to know what was going on, they would have told her, but they didn't."

"I agree," Faith said. "We should leave it be."

"Faith." Victoria looked her friend straight in the eyes. "Your father is a detective. You've got it in your blood. Do some detective work. We'll help you," she added when Faith made a face of disapproval.

Faith glanced at Samantha, who mouthed, 'Don't do it' from across the table.

"I don't know…"

Victoria stood up. "Come on. It'll be fun." And with that, she promptly took Faith's hand in one of her own and Madeline's in the other. Samantha and Lizzy followed.

--

The five girls were back at the Hardy residence within twenty minutes.

"Where do your parents keep all of their photo albums?"

"In their closet. But they're asleep," Faith replied.

"Then we'll just have to be quiet," Samantha said.

The five girls crept up the stairs slowly. Faith led the way.

It was very dark, and somewhere along the way, someone tripped over an unidentified object. This was followed by muffled giggles and a quiet, "_Shh…"_ Someone stirred in the bed, and the girls froze until they heard the steady breaths of Faith's parents once again. They continued their journey.

Every step seemed louder than the next as they approached the closet. The door squeaked quietly as Faith opened it. Fortunately, the box containing her parents' memories was easy to get out quietly. The five of them dragged the box—which was fairly large—out of the closet, across the floor, into the hallway and back to Faith's bedroom, where they closed the door and immediately began taking belongings out.

They searched several photo albums and came up with the usual—wedding pictures, baby pictures, and family pictures, but nothing else. They then came across a stack of newspaper articles. 'Hardy Boys Solve yet Another Case', 'The Hardys do it Again!'.

"Wow," Madeline said softly. "Your Dad solved a _lot_ of cases."

"I know."

Faith turned over another article. 'Double Team! Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew'. Faith put the article aside and picked up another. This one read, 'Local Detective to Wed'. But it wasn't her father's announcement. It was an announcement for Nancy Drew and Ned Nickerson. Underneath it was a wedding invitation. In cursive font, it read, "You are cordially invited" followed by the time and place of the wedding.

"I wonder why they kept these," Faith said.

Suddenly, they froze as they heard footsteps in the hallway. "Hide the box!" Madeline hissed.

But it was too late. Suddenly, Frank Hardy appeared in the doorway. At seeing the box and its contents spread out on the floor, he did not look too happy.

"What are you doing?"

"Just…looking at something," Faith answered.

Frank looked as if he were going to say something, but he took a deep breath before saying, "Get to bed. We'll talk about this in the morning."

Faith nodded dumbly. Frank left, slamming the door behind him.

--

Faith's friends drove home that night. They didn't dare hang around for the lecture that would have been in for them if they stayed overnight.

Faith awoke around midnight that night to the sound of something hitting the window softly. Slowly, she pushed herself up out of bed and toward the window. She peeked out, and then gasped.

Standing outside her house was Travis Nickerson. In one hand was a small stone, which he had gotten from the yard and had thrown at the window numerous times. In his other hand was a single red rose. She opened her window. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"I need to talk to you."

Faith glanced behind her, and then held up one finger, gesturing for him to wait. She quickly put on her robe and slippers and ran down the stairs. A moment later, she was in the front yard. Travis walked closer to her.

"How did you find where I lived?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Phone book. Not very many Hardys in this town."

"No," she admitted, "there aren't." She sighed. "My parents said I can't see you."

"I know," he replied softly. "My parents said the same. Do you know what's going on?"

Faith shook her head slowly. "Your guess is as good as mine. But I _did_ find some stuff of my parents' that came from your parents—like wedding invitations and stuff like that."

"Strange," he said.

For a long moment, the two just gazed into each other's eyes. "It's really good to see you again," Faith said finally.

"It's nice to see you, too," he replied. He stepped closer. "I just…I wish our parents weren't being so stubborn."

"Agreed." She sighed. "So now what? Do we go back to not seeing each other, or…"

Travis took yet another step forward before bravely taking her hand. "I could never do that," he said softly.

Faith searched his eyes. Gone was the young man from before—wild and completely drunk. Now, a completely sober, calm and caring young man replaced that person.

"Meet me tomorrow evening at Maggie's Café."

"What about my parents?"

"Wait until they go to sleep. Haven't you ever snuck out before?"

Faith shook her head slowly.

"Well, I do it all the time. It's not too hard—not at my house, anyway." He quickly explained the easiest ways of leaving the house unnoticed. "It's easier than you think," he added.

Faith sighed. "I don't know…"

"Come on. Please? For me?"

She bit her lip uncertainly. Finally, she released a heavy sigh before smiling and saying, "Okay. I'm in."

"Great! I'll be waiting for you. Tomorrow night." Suddenly, a light switched on in the house. Immediately, he started running. "No backing out," he yelled over his shoulder before disappearing into the night.

--

The next morning, Faith grudgingly listened to her father's lecture on personal belongings and minding her own business. When she asked about the Nickersons again, Frank dismissed the matter, not wanting to get into any details.

"Just don't get into stuff that isn't yours," Frank finished. Faith nodded before leaving the room. She went to find her mother, who was in the kitchen.

"Hey," Callie said.

"Hey," Faith replied.

Callie glanced over at her daughter, looking up from the salad she was preparing. "What's up?"

Faith took a seat at the table. "I want to know what Dad has against the Nickersons," she said bluntly.

Callie sighed, put the carrot she had been cutting down, and then took a seat across from her daughter. "Basically, back when we were in college, Frank and Nancy Drew—now Nancy Nickerson—had feelings for one another. They were very close, especially when they worked on cases together. But there was always the basic problem that they were both taken—Frank with me and Nancy with Ned Nickerson. Frank and Ned never did get along just for that reason. When Nancy announced her engagement, it was obvious that Frank was disappointed. Ever since then, he refuses to have anything to do with the Nickersons."

Faith was quiet for a long moment. "How did you react?" she asked finally.

Callie shrugged. "I got over it," she replied. "You always know when you meet the love of your life—Nancy met hers, and I met mine, and that's all that mattered."

--

That night, Faith snuck out of her second-story window using her emergency ladder. She met Travis at the café about a mile away from her house.

"See? You made it out, no troubles."

"Yeah, I did," she said. "I'm not sure how you manage to get away with it all the time, though."

He shrugged. "I guess my parents are more lenient than yours," he replied.

"Apparently."

The waitress appeared from behind and asked to take their orders. Travis ordered a double hamburger, fries, and a large drink. Faith raised her eyebrows at him but said nothing. She then ordered a veggie burger with everything on it, but nothing else. The waiter left with their orders.

"You're got quite the appetite," Faith commented.

"I take after my Dad," he replied with a grin. "And you…a veggie burger?"

She shrugged. "I'm a vegetarian," she replied.

Travis whistled softly. "You'd never make it at our house," he said. Faith smiled.

They kept their conversation casual. When they finished eating, Travis paid for both of them, and then the two left for home. Travis walked Faith home.

"Thanks for everything," she said. "It was all very…nice."

"Glad you liked it," Travis said. "Maybe we can meet again sometime."

"Yeah, that'd be great," she said. She glanced toward her house. "I should get back. Just in case my parents happen to get up in the middle of the night.

Travis nodded. She turned to leave, and had just taken a few steps before he said, "Wait."

He ran up to her. For a moment, he seemed to hesitate. But then, he kissed her.

It took her by surprise, but she didn't pull away; she didn't resist. Instead, she kissed him back. When the two parted, they stood there a moment, then said 'Good night' before going their separate ways.


	3. Chapter 3

Faith and Travis continued their late night meetings for months. Neither of them was caught.

Their dates had started slow, with most of them being at the diner. But as more time went on, it became more serious. On weekends, the two would often lie to their parents, claiming that they were hanging out with friends. Instead, they met at places such as the bowling alley and the local movie theatre. However, they learned the most about each other when they talked over dinner at restaurants nicer than any Faith had been in before. They talked about pretty much everything—their family, friends, college life, and more. She found out that his favorite thing to do was party with his friends at college—apparently, they hosted the best of the best parties, especially when people snuck kegs of beer in.

Faith, in comparison, enjoyed simple things such as going to the library and bowling with friends. She was completely against alcohol, just as her mother was. However, it didn't seem to affect her feelings for Travis. In fact, as they continued meeting, Faith realized that when she was around Travis, she felt relaxed and happy. She could tell that Travis felt the same.

They were walking out of Maggie's Café one evening, hand in hand, when Travis suddenly said, "I want to take you to meet my parents."

Faith stopped dead in her tracks. "But—I thought they hated me," she said.

Travis shrugged as he took her in his arms. "They shouldn't hate you," he said. "They just hate your parents."

Faith gave a short laugh. "I don't know…" she said.

"Come on, babe. We've been dating for six months now. It's about time to meet the parents."

He was right, she realized. "All right," she agreed. "When?"

"Tomorrow. Dinner at my house."

"What time?"

"I'll pick you up at seven," he replied.

"Okay." They were approaching her house. As they approached the front door, they stopped and she sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow, then," she said.

Travis nodded, and then they kissed. When they parted a long moment later, he said, "I love you."

"I love you, too. Good night."

--

Faith's friends helped her pick out a good outfit to wear the next evening. In the end, Victoria and Madeline were arguing over either a short, black dress that stopped just below the knees, or black slacks and a white sweater. Finally, Victoria won the argument with latter.

"How do I look?" Faith asked.

"You look fabulous, as always," Samantha answered.

Faith rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thanks."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "That's him!" Faith said.

Lizzy hugged her friend. "Have fun. And just be yourself," she added. "Don't be intimidated by the fact that your parents hate each other."

"Thanks for the reminder. I'll keep that in mind."

--

When Faith walked downstairs, Travis was already waiting for her inside. Frank and Callie were waiting, too, although it was obvious that Frank was trying very hard not to say or do something he would regret. Callie hugged her daughter before saying, "Have fun."

"I'm sure I will." Faith then turned to her Dad, who simply nodded a goodbye to her. Her heart sank a little, but she ignored her father's anger for the moment.

Travis helped her into her coat. Then, with a quick promise to take good care of Faith, the two left.

--

The Nickersons lived in a two story home. It was very elegant and, in Faith's opinion, the best-looking house on the block.

Travis pulled a key out of his pocket and let them in. Immediately, she was greeted by the smell of spaghetti sauce and hamburger. Travis led her to the kitchen, where his parents were. His mother was cooking chopped-up hamburger in a pan on the stove. Mr. Nickerson was sitting at the table with a newspaper in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. He didn't look up at either of them when they walked in.

"Mom, Dad, this is Faith," Travis said.

Mrs. Nickerson turned away from the food she was cooking, wiped her hands off, and then shook Faith's hand. "Nice to meet you," she said. "I'm Nancy." She then glanced at her husband, who still wouldn't look up from his paper. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Honey, we've got company," she said.

Mr. Nickerson grunted; Mrs. Nickerson tightened her grip on his shoulder warningly; finally, he stood and put his hand out to shake Faith's. "Nice to meet you," he said.

"Travis has told us a lot about you," Nancy said.

Faith blushed. "He has?"

"Nothing bad, don't worry," Travis said quickly. His mother smiled.

"Help yourself to anything you want. Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes."

Travis took Faith's hand and led her out of the room. As they left, she heard Mrs. Nickerson chiding her husband quietly. He muttered something in return, and then nothing more was said.

"That went well, didn't it?" Travis said. His voice was thick with sarcasm.

Faith laughed softly. "I'm not sure your Dad was too thrilled about me coming over," she commented.

"He'll get over it," Travis replied. "They really are nice. They just need to warm up to you, that's all—my Dad more-so than my Mom."

Before Faith could comment, Nancy called, "Dinner's ready!"

Faith followed Travis into the kitchen.

--

Ned and Nancy sat across from Faith and Travis.

"Do you have any siblings, Faith?" Nancy asked.

Faith nodded. "I have a younger brother, Bryan."

"Where does he go to school?"

"We both go to Rosewood." Faith smiled. "He's nothing like me, though. We couldn't be more different."

"I hear that a lot—siblings being completely different. I never have understood it, though."

Faith shrugged. "I guess it's just who you hang out with." She caught Travis's eye and they both smiled.

After dinner, Travis and Faith excused themselves, and then went to the living room, where they settled down to watch a movie. "What do you want to watch?" he asked.

"What are my choices?"

Travis glanced at the movie titles. "_Titanic_ or _Failure to Launch."_

"_Titanic._ Definitely," she replied.

"_Titanic _it is." He set up the movie. As he did, he asked, "Have you seen this before?"

She nodded. "I've seen both movies before. But Titanic is definitely my favorite movie."

Travis settled down on the couch. "I've never seen it," he admitted.

"You've never seen _Titanic_?" she repeated incredulously. He shook his head. "Well, I know that I love it. Hopefully you will, too."

They watched the movie in silence. About twenty minutes in to it, Travis put his arm around her shoulder. She moved closer to him and rested her head against his shoulder. Halfway through the movie, Nancy and Ned peeked in on them. Nancy smiled; Ned glared; Faith didn't move her eyes from the screen, although she could practically feel their gaze on her.

By the time the movie was over, it was nearly midnight. Reluctantly, Faith unwrapped herself from Travis's arms and stood. He followed suit.

"Faith, thank you for coming over tonight. It was nice to finally meet you," Nancy said.

"Thanks for having me," Faith replied. "Dinner was very good. And it was nice to meet you, too." Ned suddenly appeared behind his wife. "Both of you," Faith added.

At first, Ned said nothing. Nancy elbowed him in the ribs. "Nice to meet you," Ned muttered. Nancy rolled her eyes as Travis opened the door to leave.

"I'm taking her home," he said. "I'll be back soon."

"Drive safe."

The door closed behind them. As soon as it did, Ned said, "'Nice to see you go' is more like it."

Nancy sighed and walked back into the kitchen. Ned followed, took a seat at the table, and promptly picked up the newspaper again.

"You know, she could be different. She could just be different," Nancy said.

"She's a Hardy," Ned said. "As far as I'm concerned, the Hardys are no good."

"You're not going to talk Travis out of dating her," Nancy replied. "Did you see the way they looked at one another? It's obvious they're in love."

Ned said nothing. Nancy sighed before she began cleaning the kitchen. Ned stood and walked over to his wife. He put his arms around her waist and turned her to face him. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's just…after everything that went on…" he shook his head. "I'm just not sure I'll ever be okay with this relationship."

Nancy sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "It'll be okay," she whispered. "It really will."

"If you insist," Ned replied. He kissed her gently before the two separated and went their separate ways.

--

"Thank you so much for everything," Faith said.

"Thanks for coming," Travis replied. "Hopefully it wasn't too awkward for you." The two of them were approaching the Hardy's front door. They stopped just before the steps.

"I think everything went well, considering the circumstances."

"I think now the major problem is my Dad," Travis said. He took Faith in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Yeah. There must be more that happened between my parents and yours, but I'm really not in the mood to do any more sleuthing. My Dad may be a detective and all, but I guess I didn't inherit that trait from him."

Travis just smiled. He kissed her gently. When they pulled away, they said their usual 'Good night' before she went in the house.

Once the door closed, she nearly floated up the stairs and to her room.

That night, she fell asleep with a smile on her face and dreams of an eternal future with her boyfriend.


	4. Chapter 4

"He didn't say where he was taking you?"

"No. He said it was a surprise. But he told me to dress extra-nice."

Lizzy gasped. "Faith, maybe he's going to ask the big question tonight," she said.

"Surely not," Faith answered. She turned back to the mirror to fix her hair.

"Think about it. You've been dating for over a year now. Your parents have met and everything. It could very well be that tonight, you get proposed to."

"Possible, but not probable." She turned to her friend. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous. You'll knock his socks off."

Faith giggled, and then glanced at the clock. "He should be here any—" she was cut off by the doorbell.

Lizzy hugged her friend. "Have fun," she said.

"I will," Faith replied. "I'll tell you how it goes."

"You'd better. Talk to you later."

"Bye."

--

Callie was away with some friends, so only Frank was home to see them out. Faith gave him a quick hug before she left. "I'll see you later," she said. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

She then took Travis's hand and led him out the door before her father exploded.

"So you can't tell me where you're taking me?" she prompted her boyfriend again.

He just grinned. "Nope. But it's somewhere really nice. I think you'll like it." He opened her door for her before getting in on his own side.

He took her to a restaurant nearly twenty minutes away. It was very elegant, just as he said it would be. It was fancy, with a candlelight setting, outstanding service and excellent food. After their meal, Travis paid. As they left, he announced that he had yet another surprise for her.

"You're full of surprises tonight," she commented as he took her hand. He just grinned and led her down a path not far from the restaurant.

Trees that lined the pavement shaded the walkway. The full moon shone brightly through the branches, and the stars twinkled softly from above, making it an almost perfect night for romance. For a long time, the young couple walked hand in hand down the path. Finally, Travis broke the silence.

"Faith, I've been thinking about our relationship," he began. "I've thought of how much my life has changed in just the past year." They stopped suddenly and he took a breath. "I love you, and I know that you're the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with. And now I'm taking a chance that you feel the same."

Faith's heart raced. Lizzy's words from earlier ran through her mind. '_Maybe he's going to ask the big question tonight.'_ She waited for him to continue. Then, the moment came.

Travis pulled a small box from his coat pocket, and then knelt on one knee. He opened the box, revealing a diamond ring. "Faith Hardy, will you marry me?"

She didn't hesitate. "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you," she replied.

Travis stood and took her in his arms, picking her up off the ground as they kissed.

When he finally put her down, she was still grinning, unable to break her gaze away from Travis's. He put the ring on her finger, and they kissed again. But suddenly, a thought occurred to her. After they pulled away, she said, "What about our parents?"

They were both quiet for a long moment. Finally, he said, "They'll get over it. They'll have to." Faith nodded uncertainly. Travis glanced at his watch. "I've got to get you home," he said.

"We're going to have to tell them tonight, you know," she said as they began to walk to the car.

Travis was quiet a long moment. Finally, he said, "I know. Who should we tell first?"

Faith let out a shaky breath. "Yours first." Travis nodded solemnly, and then started the car.

--

The Nickerson home was almost completely dark except for a single light in the living room. Travis opened the door and went in first. Faith followed closely behind.

When his parents saw her, they had a similar reaction as earlier, although this time, his mother seemed to have an almost forced smile; she tried not to make it too obvious. Ned ignored them completely.

"Hi, honey." Nancy stood. "I didn't know you were bringing company."

"Yeah. Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you."

Nancy's smile seemed to fade a little. Ned finally looked up from the television after pressing the Mute button. They both looked at the young couple expectedly. Travis took a deep breath. "We're engaged."

At first, neither parent said anything. Finally, Ned said, "Did I hear you right?"

Travis hesitated a moment, and then nodded. Ned stood up.

"I don't think so," he said.

"Dad."

"Travis, I think this has gone on long enough."

Nancy took her husband's arm. "We should take this somewhere else," she said.

Ned shook his head. "There's nothing to talk about. You're going to end this now, or I'll end it for you."

"_Ned."_

Ned turned and went upstairs to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Nancy rolled her eyes and went upstairs after him. Faith and Travis heard the door close behind her, followed by muffled yelling.

"We should go," Travis said. Faith simply nodded in agreement.

--

Breaking the news to the Nickersons was nothing compared to the Hardy's reactions.

When they arrived at the Hardy residence, Frank and Callie were waiting for them. Faith could tell that Frank was already angry about her being late coming home. Their announcement would only make it worse. Nevertheless, it had to be done.

Faith managed to gather everyone in the living room. Her parents sat on one couch, and she and Travis sat on the other.

"I'll get to the point," she said. She took a breath. Travis squeezed her hand encouragingly. She glanced at him, and then her parents. "We're getting married," she said.

Frank gave a short laugh. "No, you're not."

"Yes, we are."

Frank stood. Callie watched him carefully. "Have you been drinking? You're obviously not thinking."

"No, I haven't been drinking, Dad. We have both thought about this, and we're both ready for a commitment."

"So what happened to the fact that I told you long ago you're not to have anything to do with the Nickersons? Whatever happened to that?"

"I'm twenty-four years old. You can't stop me from dating someone," she replied.

"You're living in my house. You will follow my rules. I told you not to see him; you're certainly not going to marry him."

Faith stood. "I'm not going to put up with this."

"Then get out."

Faith and Travis left without another word. The door closed and locked behind them.

--

That night, Faith stayed at Lizzy's house, and Travis stayed with one of his friends.

"I can't believe how irrational your parents are acting," Lizzy said.

Faith collapsed on the pull-out bed and closed her eyes. "I know. It's crazy," she replied. "They're acting so immature about everything. I mean, slamming doors, yelling, and everything else? It's like they're four years old all over again."

Lizzy laughed then sat on the bed next to her friend. "I'm really happy for you both, though. I think you make a wonderful couple."

Faith smiled and opened her eyes. "Thanks, Liz." She sighed and sat up. "I just hope our parents get past whatever problems they have."

"Well, until they _do_ grow up a little, you're welcome to stay here with me for as long as you like."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Lizzy looked out the front door window. "It's Victoria." A moment later, she added, "And Madeline and Samantha." She opened the door. The three girls piled in one by one into the living room carrying overnight bags.

"We heard a certain someone was having a bad night," Samantha said.

"So that certain someone needs cheered up," Victoria added.

"So here we are," Madeline finished.

"Aw," Faith said as the girls came over and each gave her a hug. "You guys are the best."

Lizzy provided a stack of games and piled them in the middle of the floor—Uno, Mad Gab, Sequence, and more. They went through each game before going on to something else.

The girls rented a movie and made popcorn before settling down. Part way through the movie, Faith's cell phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her pocket. Text message.

_Thinking of you. I love you. –Travis_

Faith smiled as she texted a quick reply before turning her attention back to the television.

The movie lightened the mood, and gave them all a good laugh. By the time it was over, it was nearly three in the morning.

Victoria sighed. "Well, shall we go to bed?"

"I guess," Faith replied. "I need a good rest after everything that's happened tonight."

Samantha hugged Faith again. "It'll be okay," she said. "Don't worry. Just get some rest and relax. Good night."

"Good night."


	5. Chapter 5

Faith and Travis began planning the wedding a few days later. His father still refused to speak to him unless the next words Travis said was, 'We broke up.'

Frank had a similar reaction, and didn't show up for anything. Callie, however, managed to sneak away from her husband to help Faith decide on a theme for her wedding.

"Which color do you like better, the pink or the maroon?" Faith asked. She held up two dresses up. Callie inspected them both before replying, "The maroon."

Faith nodded. "That's what I was leaning toward, too," she said. "So the bridesmaids will be dressed in maroon. That should look really good with the guys' tuxes." She sighed. "So I guess the final colors will be maroon and black."

"Sounds good," Callie said. "What's next on our list?"

"Almost everything else has to be done after we find out how many people are coming. So I guess Travis and I need to come up with a guest list, and then order the invitations."

"So our work is pretty much done for now."

Faith nodded. "Do you want to go get something to eat? I'm starving."

"Sure. There's a sandwich shop down the street if that sounds good."

"That's fine. Let's go."

--

Travis was still staying at his friend's apartment until after the wedding. Faith called before driving over there to arrange the guest list.

"Hello, love," he answered in a British accent.

Faith rolled her eyes and laughed. His friends must be close by, she thought. "Hey, are you busy?"

"No, I'm not. What's up?"

"We have to finish our guest list so I can order invitations."

"All right. Come on over."

--

When Faith knocked on the door, Travis answered, still bare-chested and only dressed in jeans. He let her in, apologizing for the mess, before he snatched up his shirt off the couch and quickly pulled it over his head. He then offered to show her around the place.

The apartment was very simple and almost perfect for someone living by themselves. There was a single bedroom, a bathroom, a small kitchen area with a bar included for a table, and a small living area consisting of a couch, a recliner, and a television. On the couch lay a mess of sheets, blankets, and a pillow—obviously where Travis had been sleeping the past few nights.

"So who do we want at the wedding?" Faith asked.

They ended up back in the kitchen, where they both took a seat at the bar with a single piece of paper in front of them. By the time they were done, that paper was covered front and back with names. They ended up with 82 people total. But now, they were back to the very basic problem. Their parents.

"I don't think they're ever going to get along long enough to go through with this wedding," Travis said.

"I'd be surprised if my father even shows up," Faith replied. She sighed then laid her head on the crook of Travis's shoulder. He kissed the top of her head lightly.

"It'll work out," he assured her. "Don't worry."

"I just hope you're right."

--

The weeks that passed turned into months. The wedding was set for December 20. As the date approached, last minute details were made and the phone rang off the hook with last minute RSVP's. All of the people who were given invites were being expected to come.

"I'm so excited," Faith told her friends one evening.

"The wedding's coming up fast," Victoria said. "Is everything ready?"

Faith nodded.

"Where is the reception going to be?"

"We're having it at the church," Faith replied. "Travis and I couldn't really afford much more, and our parents won't pay for much of anything, so we're really tight on money."

"If you need any help, just let us know," Madeline said. "I know that I'd be glad to help you, even with money issues."

"That goes for all of us," Lizzy added, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys," Faith said, giving them a grateful smile.

"So what else has to be done?" Samantha asked.

"Nothing else," Faith answered. She sighed. "Now we just wait."

--

The first time the parents met one another was at the rehearsal dinner, two weeks later. It was the first time they had seen one another in years.

The Nickersons were at the church first, followed by the Hardys a few minutes later. When Ned and Frank saw each other, they simply glared at one another. Callie, whose arm was hooked through Frank's, guided him away from the other couple and toward Faith. Travis gave Faith a quick kiss and a curt nod to the Hardys before going to visit with his own parents.

Ned was grumbling about something that Frank had done. "You've got to at least _try_ to get along with him," Nancy was saying.

"I refuse to get along with the man who got enough guts to—" he broke off as he saw Travis approach. Nancy put on a smile—much more than his father could manage.

"Hi, honey," Nancy said.

"Hey," Travis replied.

"Ready for the big day?"

"Definitely. I—_we_—are really excited."

On the other side of the room was the Hardys, and Frank, like Ned, was also speaking his strong opinion of the Nickersons.

"Frank, can't you swallow your pride for two nights—two nights is all—until this wedding is over? Then I'm sure you can manage to avoid several encounters with them—"

"Until holidays come," Frank interrupted. "Then we've got to deal with them all over again." Callie just sighed.

The rehearsal came and went. Fortunately, the two sets of parents didn't have to interact with one another too much. Dinner, however, was another story.

The dinner was held at a fancy Italian restaurant, and a large table had been reserved for the wedding party. The Nickersons and the Hardys, in the end, were left sitting directly across from one another. Throughout the entire meal, Frank and Ned spent most of the time glaring at one another, mostly when Nancy and Callie weren't looking.

"How long do you think we have before they kill each other?" Faith whispered to her fiancé.

Travis and Faith, whom had chosen a seat at the opposite end of the table, looked down to the other end toward their parents. As they watched, they saw Ned and Frank glaring at each other; Nancy elbowed Ned; Ned grunted but promptly moved his gaze from the other man and glared down at his food; Frank returned to his meal with a very smug expression.

"I'd give them an hour. Maybe less," Travis replied.

The next hour was spent thanking friends and family for their part in the wedding, along with several rounds of toasts to the engaged couple.

Sometime after the toasts were made, Frank and Ned were seen exchanging some words before disappearing outside. Faith watched them curiously until they were out of sight. She then touched Travis's hand lightly. "I'll be right back," she said, nodding toward the door.

"I'll come with you," he said. Faith just nodded.

As the two of them approached, they heard the two men arguing. For a moment, the young couple stayed just inside the door, listening.

"Aren't you one to be talking about stealing things," they heard Ned say.

"What's that supposed to me?" Frank asked in reply.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"Let's not bring this up now."

"No. We've been at this ever since they met. We need to resolve it now," Ned replied.

"We should stop them," Faith said softly.

Travis shook his head. "Let them be," he whispered back. "Let them get their anger out." He took Faith's hand and she reluctantly followed him to the table.

Everyone was just preparing to leave when Frank and Ned returned—Frank with a swollen jaw and Ned rubbing his ribs discreetly. No one bothered asking if they were all right.

"Alright, everyone. Wedding is at two o'clock tomorrow. Arrive a little early to make sure everyone's ready on time," Callie said.

Everyone filed out until just the two sets of parents and Faith and Travis were left. "Where are you two off to?" Nancy asked.

"I think we've got a few more errands to run before tomorrow," Travis replied. "Especially if we're both going out tonight."

"That's right. Your bachelorette and bachelor parties are tonight. Well, don't do anything you'll regret in the morning."

Travis grinned. "Whatever could you be talking about, mother?"

"Just be careful," Nancy replied, rolling her eyes. "Both of you."

"We will be. Bye."

--

"What time is your party?" Travis asked once they made it to his car.

"I think we're meeting at eight," Faith replied. She wrapped her arms around Travis's neck and he took her in his arms. "I can't believe we're getting married tomorrow," she murmured.

"I know." He kissed her gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She sighed. "Shall we go?" Travis nodded. He opened her door for her before going to his own side.

"Where to first?" he asked.

"I need to pick up some of the decorations we ordered," she replied.

"Where is the store?"

"Turn left on the highway. Just a few miles down. I'll tell you when to turn."

"All right."

--

"Ned, I can't believe the way you and Frank act when you're around one another. It's just not right."

"Of course you'd say that," Ned replied. "You're not the one whose girlfriend was almost taken out of his life because of some other—"

"_Stop._"

"I already told you. I refuse to have anything to do with the Hardys. If that means preventing a wedding tomorrow, so be it. But I will never be okay with this."

Ned stormed out of the room, leaving Nancy shaking her head in disbelief. After a few moments and several deep breaths, she followed her husband to the kitchen. He was sitting at the table, newspaper spread in front of him. She put her hand lightly on his shoulder, and only then did he look at her.

"I chose you," she said softly. "I chose you over him. I could have gone to him; I could have given in to any spark that was between us, but I didn't, and you shouldn't take your anger out on our son and his happiness. Just remember that." She kissed him lightly on the cheek before going upstairs.

--

That night, the Nickersons and the Hardys each received a phone call from the River Heights Hospital. There had been a car accident, and Faith, Travis, and two friends—the maid of honor and the best man—were taken to the emergency room.

The parents of the best man and maid of honor were already allowed to visit their children. Now, the ER waiting room was empty save the Hardy and Nickerson families.

For the first hour, Ned and Frank paced the floor restlessly. After that hour was up, Nancy and Callie managed to get the two men to take a seat and wait.

Callie sighed. "How long have they been in there?" she asked.

"Too long," Nancy replied quietly.

"This wouldn't have happened if your son wouldn't be so reckless," Frank grumbled.

Ned glared. "It was a drunk driver," he replied. "It's not like Travis could have done much differently."

"Travis was driving; Travis should have taken control," Frank said.

"Stop. Both of you. _Now,"_ Callie said. She stood up to face the two men. "Do you even hear yourselves? You're acting childish. I mean, our own children are here in the hospital, and the only thing you two can do is try to focus on who's to blame."

"Travis and Faith are getting married no matter what. We've just got to get over our differences and deal with the situation. Whatever is going on between you two has to stop right here, right now.

Got it?"

Stunned, Frank and Ned could only stare at Callie.

"_Got it?"_ she asked again. This time they both nodded, and she promptly took a seat.

For a long moment, the room was absolutely silent. Finally, Ned said, "She's right." He sighed. "As much as we both hate to admit it, we're stuck dealing with each other as long as Travis and Faith are together. What happened between all of us," he continued, looking around at the group, "is in the past. It's done. So…truce?" Ned held out his hand to Frank.

Frank looked up at Ned uncertainly. Finally, he said, "Truce."

As the two men shook hands, Nancy and Callie each let out a deep sigh of relief.

Maybe everything would turn out all right after all.


	6. Chapter 6

"Faith, you look gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous," Victoria said.

Faith smiled. "Really? You really think so?"

"Of course, honey," Callie said. "Hold still, I need to fix your hair."

"I can't believe you're getting married already," Madeline said.

"I know. It's so exciting," Faith replied.

It was three weeks later, and the newly set wedding date had finally arrived. Madeline, Samantha, Lizzy, Victoria, and Callie were all in the room that had been deemed the girls' dressing room. The wedding was only an hour away.

Once Callie stepped away from her daughter, Faith was allowed to go to the mirror to point out any final touches. "It looks great, Mom. Thanks," she said.

Faith was dressed completely in white. Her dress was strapless with tiny white beads attached randomly on the dress. The train was long and dragged several feet behind her.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Victoria called. Frank Hardy opened the door. His eyes widened when he saw his daughter.

"What do you think?" Faith asked, facing her father.

"You look beautiful," he said. He walked over to her and took her in his arms. After a long moment, he pulled away and asked, "Are you almost ready? You only have a few more minutes."

Faith nodded. "I'm ready."

She hooked her arm through Frank's and left the room, leaving her old life behind and preparing to start a new one.

--

Two hours later, Faith was sitting behind a long table covered with a black table cloth, staring down at the ring officially marking her Travis Nickerson's wife. The diamond glistened back at her.

They were at the church at the reception. The music playing was soft for now until everyone finished eating. Now, Faith and Travis were sitting behind the table for the wedding party—Travis and Faith in the middle, Faith's bridesmaids beside her and Travis's groomsmen beside him, all chatting excitedly about the wedding.

Travis squeezed her hand gently. "Did I tell you that you look beautiful?" he asked.

Faith giggled as he nuzzled her neck. "Thanks," she said. As he pulled away, she leaned in for a kiss. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too."

"Hey, you two love birds," a familiar voice suddenly spoke up. The two looked up and saw Joe Hardy, Faith's uncle, approaching.

"Hi, Uncle Joe," Faith said. "I wasn't sure if you would be able to make it with the weather. I heard there was a big ice storm in Colorado."

"Iola and I would never want to miss our favorite niece's wedding."

Faith rolled her eyes. "I'm your _only_ niece," she said.

"Therefore making you our favorite." He glanced out toward the crowd and noticed Frank and Ned talking and even laughing about something. "I see your parents finally came to their senses."

"Yeah. Too bad it took an accident for that to happen," Travis said.

"Aw, that's in the past. Put the past behind you, 'cause it's time to celebrate—celebrate a marriage, happiness, and especially the fact that there's finally a truce between your parents."

Faith lifted her Champaign glass—that had been filled with orange juice instead of actual Champaign—and said, "A toast to a new beginning."

"Here, here," Joe said, and the three of them tapped their glasses together.

Travis rested his hand on Faith's cheek gently and kissed her. When they finally parted, the room suddenly burst into applause. Faith blushed; Travis grinned. However, the room suddenly became silent as Ned Nickerson approached the young couple.

His expression was very guarded as stopped in front of the table. For a moment, he just looked between them both. "Faith," he said.

"Yes sir?"

Surely he won't say anything, she thought. Surely he won't start a scene.

However, he surprised everyone when he opened his arms. She smiled, stood, and walked around to the other side of the table and into his embrace.

"Welcome to the family," he said softly.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you so much."

He kissed the top of her head before releasing her and disappearing into the crowd again.

She was still standing there a few moments later when she felt someone take her hand gently. It was then that she realized the music had changed. Travis nodded toward the dance floor. As she followed him to the dance floor, she heard the DJ announce the first dance as newlyweds. She wrapped her arms around Travis's neck as he took her in his arms, and the two of them swayed to the music.

Her mother's words from months before suddenly ran through her head. _"You always know when you meet the love of your life."_

_I've met the love of my life,_ she thought. _This is my new life now._ They continued to sway to the music.

_A toast to a new beginning,_ she thought.

The last few notes of the song played, and the young couple kissed, followed by applause.

_I'm definitely going to like this new beginning. _


End file.
